Brienne Carpenter ‘08

Lewis & Clark

Most people are astonished when reflecting on their experiences at Lewis & Clark and seeing how much their connection to L&C has grown. Brienne “Brie” Carpenter is someone who shares this sentiment.

Brie joined the Graduate School of Education and Counseling in 2003 as a staff member before taking on her current position as Legal Assistant for the Law Faculty in 2005. But there is history behind her service to L&C. Her mother, Linda (B.A. ‘93), has been working for L&C for over 23 years, which allowed Brie to spend childhood summers on the campus, and her sister, Tamara, just completed her M.A.T. degree in 2008. And just this past May, Brie received her bachelors degree from L&C.

“This institution is my family, my neighbor (I just live down the road from campus), my childhood memory, my alma mater, and my employer,” she said. “I give more than my time to this institution because I genuinely care about its future.”

As both a staff member and an alumna, her personal goals for L&C resonate on both levels. What Brie envisions for L&C, she says, is for the institution to become a more cohesive and diverse environment that promotes social and environmental responsibility.

Her goals are reflected in the programs she donates to, one of which is the Patricia M. Kraske Scholarship, a scholarship for women law students over the age of 30. Another fund is the York Memorial Fund, which commemorates York, William Clark’s slave in the great Lewis and Clark Expedition. Brie remarked these donations “promote areas analogous to my ethics and vision for the school.”

In honor of her graduation she asked her family and friends to make a donation to the Kraske Scholarship. Thanks to Brie’s initiative, the fund has raised over $1,000 at graduation.

It comes as no surprise when Brie speaks fondly of her experience. She says, “my connection to L&C is far greater than I ever could have imagined” and that this motivates her to support L&C and student scholarships.